


Before The Bombs Dropped

by black_rose4



Series: A Strange New World [3]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Fluff, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-23 13:51:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6118366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_rose4/pseuds/black_rose4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles featuring my Sole Survivor and her spouse, as well as a few pre-war drabbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Paradise By The Dashboard Light (New)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little something sweet and slightly saucy to soften the angst I'd written around the same time as this piece. Set during Anna's college years, before she and Graham were an item of any sorts.

Hands skim up her thighs, rouche up her skirts to try and reach bare skin. She sits back in her lap, the faint neon light shining on her skin making her look ethereal. Her lips are painted and parted, red from her smeared lipstick and from heated kisses. Their breath comes in heavy intakes, suddenly hard to find. She grasps at her shoulder for support as she finds herself. 

Anna bites her lip as she takes in the sight of her, of this neon angel sitting in her lap. All she’s missing now is wings, which she wears instead on her glasses. She’s still not sure how she managed to end up with someone like her interested in her, but right now any bemusement she had been kissed away and replaced with sheer desire. 

Those smeared red lips pout. “What’re you staring at?”

“You.” Anna says simply. She lets her eyes rake over what she can see of her in the dim light, her half-exposed cleavage and her long neck accentuated by her updo. Her shining blue eyes, brilliant even in the darkness. “You’re gorgeous Betty.” 

She looks away for a moment, bashful, but Anna’s hand is on her cheek and drawing her back to her. Their heads tilt as they kiss and Betty presses herself closer to Anna. Her hand flounders, unsure of where to rest and Betty settles for the headrest behind Anna’s head, grasping it and using it to draw herself closer, to help her rock her hips against Anna’s. She feels her moan into her mouth and Betty repeats the motion, letting out a moan of her own. She feels so damned good and she wants more. 

The display on the digital clock has ticked over into the next hour by the time they part. Betty’s shirt sits open, her bra pulled to one side and the clasp stuck half-open. Anna’s dress has been undone and been pulled down as far as it can go, bra sitting on the seat next to them. Anna retrieves Betty’s glasses from the safety of the glove box and she passes them to Betty, who gives a small smile of thanks as she puts them on. The pair readjust themselves in comfortable silence before Betty places one final kiss on Anna’s lips then shuffles back into the driver’s seat. The light between them is flicked on and their makeup is cleaned up - a mistake in retrospect, but one easily fixed. They then begin the task of fixing their hair. 

“Mom’ll probably be starting to wonder where I am.” 

Anna nods. They’d been out here longer intended and now it was time to leave their little piece of paradise and head back home. “You mind dropping me off at the diner rather than home? I wanna pick something up first, and there’ll be less awkward questions if I walk than get dropped off.”

“Getting your usual?” Betty smirks at Anna, who nudges her with her elbow, causing her to drop a pin. 

“Shut up. Their donuts are great and you know it.” 

They kiss goodbye at the diner, Betty’s car parked under the streetlight, but it’s too late for anyone to really be around and see them. They check for lipstick marks when they part. “See you tomorrow?”

“Of course. Same time as always?” 

Betty grins as she gets back into her car. “It’s a date.”


	2. Holotapes and Photographs

He waits until he has some time alone to listen to her latest holotape. The package had been larger this time, containing a cluster of photographs alongside his usual tape. He catches a brief glimpse of what’s on the photos before setting them to the side, face down, then puts the tape into his player and his earphones into each ear. 

_Hey soldier boy,_

_I hope you’re coping alright without me. I know you can look after yourself, but I’ve gotta check on ya still, ya know?_

_*chuckle* Look, I’m not gonna beat around the bush. I don’t have much to say this week except - well, just take a look at what I sent you, if you’ve not already that is. Like what you see? Of course you do, I look great in those._

_So listen, I have no idea if you’ve caught on yet or not - it’s so fucking hard to tell with you - but I like you. Quite a bit in fact. And I have been flirting with you for a while, but either you’re not interested, in which case feel free to use those photos as company at night, I don’t care,_ or _you’re fucking blind to what’s in front of you that you’ve not caught on yet. But I’m_ pretty _sure you like me too. And hey, if I’m wrong then no biggie, right?_ _*nervous laughter*_

_*sigh* Ahhh fuck, I hadn’t really planned what to say next. Shiiit. So, erm, yeah, that’s pretty much what I wanted to say. Let me know what you think. Preferably sooner rather than later. I know you’re busy, but if you can find five minutes to listen to this then I’m sure you can find five more to record a reply. Thanks._

_So, that’s me done I guess. Like I said, let me know._

_Take care of yourself._

He smiles to himself as the tape clicks to an end. He’d not been sure if he was reading too much into her previous tapes or not, but apparently he’d been correct in his thinking. Though albeit it had taken him a while to realise it and had only come to that conclusion fairly recently. 

Done with the tape, he returns his attention to the photographs and turns them over. Her smiling face greets him, as does the sight of her naked body. She’s sprawled on her bed by the looks of it, hair splayed out to form an orange halo around her face. As he flicks through the series of photos, her orange lace lingerie - which she’d clearly chosen to match her hair and makeup, even he could tell that - slowly disappears until she’s bared before him, wearing only a wicked grin.

Graham clutches the photos to his chest and checks if anyone’s around. He’s probably still got five or ten minutes before anyone comes back.

Setting his tape player aside, Graham grabs a handful of tissues and sets her photos beside him on his bunk. “ _I’m sure she can forgive me for not using this time to record my reply…”_


	3. Overtime

She should have been back hours ago. He should’ve insisted she not work overtime tonight, but that would’ve ruined the surprise. And despite her dislike of surprises, he knew that this was one surprise she would not mind one bit.

 Most other nights her stopping late wouldn’t be an issue. Most nights, if she stumbled in in the early hours of the morning, tired and overworked, it didn’t matter. He would simply whip her something up and massage her shoulders before they both finally turned in for the night. But this isn’t like most nights.

* * *

The candles are almost burnt out when she finally comes through the door, hair dishevelled and bags under her eyes. She dumps her gear on the sofa then runs a hand down her face and sighs. “Honey?” She searches in the dim light of the room. The table is laid for two, a plate in each place. At one place sits the remnants of an eaten meal, while the other place remains bare bar the empty plate there. “Honey?”

Shuffling comes from one of the back rooms and a sleepy Graham emerges. He rubs his eyes and blinks in her general direction. “Anna? What time is it?”

She doesn’t bother checking her watch. “I dunno. Late. Were you waiting up for me?” He shakes his head, but the dressed table begs to differ. “I’m sorry sweetie. I didn’t know you’d planned anything. You should’ve said. 

“It’s nothing, really.” He mumbles the words and Anna’s not sure if he’s talking to himself or simply talking very quietly, it’s hard to tell with him sometimes. All she knows is behind the sleep in his eyes, he looks upset. She doesn’t press him on it. She knows him better than to do so. If she presses him, he’ll simply snap and lord know she doesn’t need to bring that upon herself after the day she’s had. Still, she can’t help but worry she’s messed up some special plans of his. 

He shuffles past her and into the kitchen, tidying away their plates and setting them in the sink. He’s too tired to deal with them now, but at least they’re no longer sat out, a bitter reminder of his failed evening.

By the time he joins her in the bedroom she’s stripped off her uniform and is sat in her underwear wiping off her makeup. She smiles wearily when she spots him in the mirror. “Hey honey.” Anna turns to face him, eyes bright despite the exhaustion written clear on her face. “You look shattered. Get in bed. I’ll be with you in a sec. I’ve just gotta finish taking my makeup off and brush through my hair.”

Graham places a kiss on the top of her head as he passes her to his side of the bed. It’s another five or so minutes before she joins him, sighing contently when her head hits the pillow. He knows that she’ll be fast asleep in a few seconds. Her ability to fall asleep so quickly has always baffled him. Even when he’s as tired as he is now, it will still take him a good half an hour or so to actually nod off, where as she has the power of sleeping wherever and whenever she so desires. It’s unfair really, or at least he thinks so, but there’s little he can do but lay there while she snores softly as she sleeps.

“G’night sweetie.” She turns in his arms to place a kiss on his lips, lingering a moment to smile at him through the darkness before turning back on her side and resting her head on the pillow. “I love you.”

He kisses an exposed patch of skin on her shoulder. “I love you too.”

Right on cue, her breathing evens out and settles into the low rumble he’s familiar with. Graham sighs and rolls onto his back. He rummages on the bedside table until his fingers find a small velvet box, which he nudges towards him and clutches tightly in his fist. “Of all the nights to work overtime, Anna…” He sighs and opens the drawer in the bedside table, setting the ring box inside then rolling back over to throw his arm around Anna and draw her to him. He presses one more kiss into her hair before closing his eyes and trying to catch some sleep. It’s a good hour before he finally joins her, his mind too troubled to let sleep take him.


	4. On Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow up to Overtime

“Hey, Peterson! Delivery for you.”

Anna looks up from the stacks of paperwork on her desk to see a small but beautiful arrangement of roses of varying colours. She smiles at the sight and plucks the attached note from the bunch.  _Don’t be late home tonight. There’s a surprise waiting for you. And I don’t just meet me ;)_

Her smile grows, and Anna calls out, attention fixed on the flowers and the note in her hand. “Hey, Frank? I’m afraid I can’t stay late tonight after all. Sorry.”

* * *

The lights are on low when Anna arrives home that evening, candles scattered around to create what Anna assumes to be mood lighting. Graham’s sat waiting in the living room, half-watching some show on the television, but clearly waiting for her. He turns the sound down low and turns to greet her, a warm smile on his face. “I see you got my flowers.”

“I did. And your note.” She holds up the aforementioned flowers then heads over to the kitchen to find a vase to put them in. “I’m assuming the candles and mood-lighting have something to do with this surprise of yours?” She potters around the kitchen, filling a vase with water and trimming the stems of the roses so they fit into said vase. 

She doesn’t hear Graham come up behind her, so jumps when suddenly his lips are at her ear. “You go get changed, love. No work-clothes allowed at the dinner table tonight.” She lingers for a moment, his lips kissing a path down her neck until he nips her and prompts her again. “Go on, I’ve got this.” 

He keeps himself busy while she freshens up, setting the vase on the coffee table and plating up dinner and lighting the candles on the dinner table. He checks his own clothing, smoothing down his shirt and brushing off his trousers. He’s nervous and restless from his nerves. He taps his foot, knee bopping up and down from the motion. 

She came home on time and is here.  _This is really happening_. He takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself. 

“This nice enough for ya?” She’s stood in the hallway as she calls to him, leaning against the doorway, hip cocked. She’s changed into her favourite pink dress, hair neatened and makeup tidied up. His gaze drifts down. Her fuzzy pink slippers finish the look. 

A warm smile slowly spreads across his face. “You look lovely. Really.” He takes another moment to appreciate the sight of her, then pulls out her seat at the table and says, “Sit.”

The rest of the evening proceeds as he’d hoped it would. The meal he’s prepared for them both is thankfully cooked to perfection – the result of many practice runs – and Anna notices that he’s made what he knows is her absolute favourite: steak, done just the way she likes it. Once done with their meal, they stick their plates in the sink and quickly wash them up, then move over to the sofa, taking their bottle of wine they’d been sharing with them. 

“I have to ask,” Anna says, sipping at her wine. “What’s the occasion? I’m pretty sure this isn’t an anniversary, so that means you must be up to something.” The smile on her face falters. “Is  _isn’t_  an anniversary, right? Don’t tell me I forgot our own anniversary!”

To her relief, Graham shakes his head. “No, it’s nothing like that.” Her heart starts pounding when he moves from her side and kneels before her, rummaging in his pocket and retrieving a small velvet box from it. “But I do have something to ask you. Something pretty big.”

Anna’s eyes widen in surprise and she shakes her head in disbelief. “Oh my god, no.  _Get up_. No. You can’t be serious.”

She’s beaming despite the surprise on her face and he knows this is just how she reacts to shock. Rambling and telling whoever or whatever to stop what they’re doing, despite wanting them to the exact opposite of what she says. Graham chuckles and takes her hand in his. “I am deadly serious. Now please, can I continue?”

He waits until she’s managed to calm enough for him to continue. Anna nods enthusiastically, urging him to carry on. “Anna Mabel Peterson, will you marry me?”

He can’t help but chuckle at the squeal of excitement that leaves her mouth. Whatever words leave her lips are too high-pitched for anyone but any nearby dogs to hear, but the smile splitting her face and her repeated nodding is answer enough. She finally manages a clear utterance of the word as she pulls him to her to kiss him, the pair of them grinning as they kiss. “Yes!  _Oh my god_ , yes yes yes I will.” She mumbles the words into his mouth and he rests his forehead against hers as he lets her finish her long but clear answer to his proposal. 

Anna finally puts him down when she realises that she’s not given him chance to finish proposing yet. His attention returns to the ring box in his hand and he offers it to Anna. “I know you’ve been dropping me  _sooo many_  not-so-subtle hints about what sort of ring you’d like, were I to ever propose to you, but this has been in my family for a few generations and I thought -” 

She places a quick kiss on his lips to silence him. She’s smiling when she draws back. “It’s beautiful. Really.”

“Not as beautiful as you.” Graham cradles her face in his hand, thumb stroking softly across her cheek. He takes in the sight of her, her beautiful eyes and even more beautiful smile. “God, I’m a lucky man.” 

“ _Beautiful_? Even in my fluffy bunny slippers?” Anna nods towards her feet and laughs. “God, of all the times…” 

He recaptures her attention and holds her gaze. “Even in your fluffy bunny slippers.”


	5. Stubbornness

The bed’s empty when she wakes up. Empty, but still warm, meaning Graham isn’t far away. 

Anna sticks her feet into her slippers and quickly throws her robe on. She calls out. “Graham?”

No reply. But she’s vaguely aware of the sound of running water. 

“Graham? Sweetie, you there?”

She checks the bathroom first. After all, it’s more than likely that he’s just needed to go to the toilet and didn’t want to wake her to help him. Perfectly likely. Only he’s not in there. 

She heads towards the kitchen next. Perhaps he needed a drink and, him being the stubborn fool he is, he would prefer to hobble there alone than ask her to fetch him one. 

He’s leaning over the sink when she finds him, crutches under one arm as he tries to balance long enough to run himself a glass of water from the tap. But half-asleep and misbalanced it’s clear he’s struggling.  

He jumps in surprise when he sees Anna suddenly appear beside him and she has to catch him by the arm to stop him from crashing to the floor like the glass, now in pieces in the sink. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

She hoists him back upright, sets his arm around her shoulder for balance. His crutches are on the floor and he’s too shaky now for her to quickly squat and get them. “You weren’t in bed. I wondered where you were.”

“Just getting a drink. I’m fine.”

“I could’ve done that for you. You should’ve woke me up.” 

He shakes his head as she sits him down at the dining table. “You were asleep. And besides, I can do this myself. I had it.” 

Anna makes sure he’s steady, then heads back over to the sink to fetch him his glass of water. “You know I don’t mind you waking me up for things like this. I’m happy to help.” 

“Well I’m not. I should be able to get a god damned glass of water in the night when I’m thirsty. I shouldn’t have to rely on you to help me run a fucking tap and not smash  _yet another_  glass.” He realises he’s starting to shout and pauses, takes a breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t take this out on you. That doesn’t help anything. You’re just trying to be supportive, which you are. 

“I just - I miss being independent. I hate that I’m reliant on you and these crutches and that I can’t even get up in the middle of the night to take a leak without having to plan every little thing I do to make sure I don’t slip and fall.”

Anna sets his glass down on the table then pulls up the chair beside him. “I know you’re struggling, but you’ve gotta let me help when you need it. It’s still early days honey, you’re not gonna be able to do everything you want to yet. And that’s okay. Just - please, let me help you. It’s okay to need help.” 

He sighs and pulls her to his chest, holding her tightly. He presses a kiss to the top of her head, inhales her scent, sighs deeply. “God, you’re just as stubborn as me, aren’t you?” 

Anna chuckles softly. “It’s why you love me, remember?”


	6. Unexpected Showers (New)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a flashback version of this in another piece and liked it so much I decided to flesh it out a little more. Hope you like it!

The rain had caught them off guard. They’d not bothered to pack an umbrella and when the heavens had opened they had been unrelenting. Graham had offered her his sweater to her for shelter, but it made little difference as they’d scrambled to get home as quickly as they could. 

It’s not quick enough, the two of them utterly soaked by the time they make it home and slam the door shut behind them. They stand, dripping on the doormat, laughing like lovestruck teens. His shirt has turned see-through and his hair has fallen from its usual pompadour. He slicks a hand through his hair, trying to push it back, but it simply falls as soon as he removes his hand and water continues to trickle down his face. Her dress clings to her body, hugs every inch of her. Like her clothes, her hair sticks to her face, stray wisps having fallen from her pins, the rain having ruined her hairspray and the hard work she put into making her updo look good that morning. She doesn’t even want to think about what her makeup looks like. 

Graham brushes back her hair as he leans down to kiss her. “Talk about April showers.” 

She feels him chuckle against her lips and Anna opens to him, stretches onto her toes to press her body against his. The heat they’d shared in the park returns in a flash and she moans into his mouth as she kisses him. 

It’s a chore to drag herself away from him, but the feeling of wet clothing pressed against her skin makes it a little easier. “Speaking of showers, we should probably get one ourselves. Freshen up so we can get down and dirty all over again.”

He licks his lips and lets out an appreciative noise. “Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, babe.” He smacks her ass and chases her to the bathroom, eliciting a yelp and giggle from her. They both begin peeling out of their clothes, leaving them here they land, stuck to the tiles. 

As Anna watches Graham shimmy out of his trousers, a realisation strikes her. “Wait. What are we doing?” She looks between her husband and the shower, then between the seat he uses as a shower aid and his prosthesis - which is definitely not designed for shower sex. “This ain’t gonna work. It barely worked with four legs between us, and that seat won’t hold the both of us. We already tested that, remember? It was a disaster, bigger than every single time we tried shower sex.” 

Graham chuckles softly at the memories and rubs his leg, now free of its aid. “We were sore for days after that fuckup. Both of them.”

“See?” Anna huffs and kicks at her dress. It barely moves, simply squelches as it shifts a little on the tiles. “Maybe we should think about this logically for a second.” She still needs a shower, they both do, and there is no way in hell that she is letting either one of them on their bed - or anything for that matter - in their current soggy state. “How about you get showered first, get yourself all sorted out, then I’ll hop in after you and we can reconvene again in the bedroom?” 

He agrees and she leaves him to get cleaned up, pecking him on the cheek before closing the bathroom door and taking a seat at her vanity. Her hair is ruined, and a shower will be  _ very _ welcome, but first she has to tackle the pins which are now lost in her hair. It’s a challenge to find them all, a good handful of them having shifted and lodged themselves in new knots which developed thanks to the rain. She sighs with relief as each one comes out. 

By the time she’s finished brushing through her hair and has wiped off the bulk of her makeup, Graham is done in the bathroom and shouting for her to kindly bring him his crutches. He kisses her as thanks, their kiss lingering longer than intended, and it’s only when his balance begins to fail him that they pull away. Anna catches him before he falls and he trades places with her, entering the bedroom with a towel thrown over his shoulder and leaving her to her ablutions. 

He’s staring at her when she finally emerges. He’s sprawled out on the bed, a mountain of pillows propping up his head and leg, and he’s wearing that that look on his face that’s taken her years to adequately name.  _ God I’m a lucky guy _ covered the short of it, though other expressions such as  _ Fuck me you’re beautiful  _ and  _ How in the hell did I manage to find someone as amazing as you?  _ were also fitting. She smiled at him. “Hey handsome. Come here often?” 

Graham chuckles. “From time to time. When the missus is outta town.” 

“Married, huh? Well then, guess I’d best not waste my time here. I’ll just take my leave.” 

She turns to leave and Graham calls to her, stopping her. She can hear the smile in his voice. “Get that pretty butt of yours in here Miss Spencer.” 

She’s grinning as she joins him. “Sure thing, Mister Spencer.” 


	7. The Hotel

_I don’t want to waste a moment when I see you. I want you. If you want me of course._

Her words have been on his mind ever since her last holotape. He’s been counting the days until he sees her. Counting down until his leave. Until she’ll finally be more than a voice on a tape or a face on a piece of photo-paper. 

It’s been so long since they’ve seen each other face to face, highschool a world away now. He knows she’s changed from the girl he remembers from class, is a woman now. A police officer to be specific, freshly joined too. She’s really done something with herself, though he’s doing well enough too. 

Part of him hopes she’s brought her handcuffs…

* * *

She’s waiting in her car when he pulls up at the hotel they’d agreed on. He sees her check her hair and makeup before she gets out and locks her car, and she smiles as she greets him. “Hey soldier boy.” 

He’s not sure at first if he should kiss her, a stupid thought, but one he has nonetheless. Everything has been over tapes and photographs and - 

She quickly clears his doubt as she grabs his collar and drags him down to her, placing a quick but heated kiss on his lips. He runs his tongue over them when she lets his collar go, savours her lingering taste. Lipstick, he assumes, and something else. Her, most likely. “Hey yourself. You ready to go?”

She beams up at him. “Lead the way.”

* * *

She’s brought that damned orange underwear with her, already got in on under her dress. It looks much better in person though. As does she. He can’t keep his hands off her, can’t get enough of her. Her kiss is addictive and he wants all that she gives. Takes it all, gives as much in kind. 

Her lipstick smears across his face, across his skin. Nails score flesh, leave red marks in their wake, angry and lingering. Stubble scratches her skin and she yelps in complaint, but he’s quick to apologise. Sweat slicks their skin, sticks to them, runs down their backs, between every fold of skin it can find. 

His name falls from her lips and he muffles the sound with his own lips, moaning into her mouth as he kisses her ardently. 

They’re both panting when they flop back onto the bed, grinning like the love-struck fools they are. She rolls and rests her head on his chest, listens to his pounding heart. His arm wraps around her shoulders, draws her closer, and they both ignore the stickiness their sweat and too-hot bodies bring them, preferring instead to revel in their post-coital bliss. He places a sloppy kiss to the top of her head, and she smiles, content. 

* * *

It’s been so long since she’s been at this place, or what it used to be at least. It was their favourite spot to get away to, to take a break from work and the army and everything and just spent some time together.  _Alone_. 

And now here she is, stood in what used to be the carpark of the hotel they first met up with one another in.  _Alone_. 


	8. A Bold Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not pre-war, but based in my 'angry parents' au where both Anna and Graham survived and went looking into what happened to their son
> 
> In this, Graham decides to tell the Brotherhood loud and clear that he's no longer interested in being with them

She can’t help but notice how tired he looks. How old. 

He’s greyed horribly, something he’d always worried about - though he’d preferred the idea over balding, so he couldn’t complain too much. And the few wrinkles he already had have deepened and multiplied, a web of of crow’s feet around his eyes and heavy-set lines scoring around his mouth and across his forehead. 

But he’s still  _him_ , that much is certain. A tired, worn out version of himself, but then she’s seen him like that too often to not recognise him and that brilliant smile of his as he strides towards her through the front gates of the Castle. 

The power armour he’s in looks wrecked though, or at least the legs certainly do. Something which greatly concerns her as she watches him try not to limp towards her, MacCready following behind looking more tired than Graham does. Anna races to meet him. “Graham, what the hell happened to you?”

“I left the Brotherhood.” His answer is not nearly enough to satisfy Anna, but she knows it’s all she’s going to get right now. 

“Come on, let’s get you both inside. No doubt they’ll retaliate for this attack. Are either of you in a fit state to fight?” 

MacCready readily replies, stating  _he’s fine_  - though plenty shaken from their jump down from the Prydwen,  _Graham’s idiotic idea_  - and he can fight. He’s eager to get out of the power armour Graham had stuffed him into and dashes off to find himself a nice vantage point to take watch from. 

With MacCready gone, Anna begins checking over Graham as he works his way out of his set of power armour. He wobbles as he sets his foot on the floor, his legs still shaky from the impact of landing from so high up. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just shaken. It’s been a while since I’ve done a drop like that.” 

Her fist hits his chest and he winces. She punches harder than he remembers. “What the  _fuck_  were you thinking?”

“That I was a fucking idiot for leaving you like that. And that I was a coward who just wanted to hide from the fact that we need to sort out this mess with our son and the Institute.” He takes her hands in his. A small smile quirks the corner of his mouth up as he notices, thankfully, that she’s still wearing her wedding ring. “Can you forgive me?”

She takes forever to answer him and the longer she takes to reply, the more he worries that he’s fucked things up between them. But then she finally opens her mouth. “Graham, I -  _shit_ , we’ve got company!” 

He drops her hands and lets her turn to shout orders. He simply stands there, unsure of what to do with himself. In the end, Anna decides for him. “Go stash your power armour - we don’t want anyone shooting you, thinking you’re with them - then either get safe inside of grab a gun and get out here and fight. We’ll talk once we’re able, okay?” She quickly stretches up to place a kiss on his stubbly cheek, then darts off, issuing orders as she goes. 

She doesn’t allow herself time to feel as she strides away. No matter how much she wants to cry. 

First, they must survive. First, she must deal with the fleet of vertibirds flying straight towards the Castle. 


	9. A Half-Baked Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more from my Angry Parents au. Set long after the fall of the Institute

She doesn’t want to believe it’s true. It can’t be. Surely he wouldn’t go and do something so stupid as  _this_. He wouldn’t -

He  _would_.  

Of course he would. This would hardly be the first dumb, impulsive thing he’s gone and done and she knows this won’t be the last either. But of all the things to do...

He’s easy enough to find, he always has been. There are few so tall in the Commonwealth nowadays, even less so than before the war. And people are eager to tell her what little they know, where they last saw such a man by that description when they see the look in her eye. The twitch that comes with anger and frustration. The clench of her fists.  _Why are the short ones always so terrifying?_

She finds him in the Hotel Rexford. Standing outside, waiting where she had all those years ago. The first time they came here, the first of many times. Together, to be together. 

But that was so long ago now. And this time she’s come here alone. 

It’s easy enough to find his room.  _Top floor, last on the right._  The owners remember all the help she’s given them. Or maybe they just want to help a desperate woman in need. 

Her fist doesn’t stop rapping on the door until it opens. Each thud against the wood is loud and the sound rings through the corridor. She knows everyone nearby will hear, but right now she doesn’t care. They can serve as her witnesses if needs be. 

_“Alright, keep your pants on. I’m coming, I’m coming.”_

The door opens and they both stand there for a moment, simply staring. The man who greets her is unknown to her, and yet his features are familiar. She’s spent her entire life learning them, setting them to memory. She knows them like she knows her own. She cannot doubt that the man before her is her husband, and yet she cannot believe it is him. 

“Anna.”

His voice is rougher, but not fully come into its own yet. Not like hers has. Right now he simply sounds like he has the flu and has spent the past night coughing up a lung. “ _Graham?_  What the  _fuck_  did you do to yourself?”

He flounders. Can’t find the right words to say. He tries a few times, but each time the look she gives him gets worse and worse. He’s already failing. He tries again. “I just wanted to be with you Anna. Like you are.” 

“ _Like I am?_  Graham, I didn’t fucking  _choose_  this. I nearly  _died_. Do you not remember that? Do you think I  _wanted_  this? Do you think I  _like_  it? I hate myself right now and the last thing I needed was for you to go and do something as  _stupid_  as this. I needed you to be there for me. And instead you run off without a word and to, what - do  _this_? I can’t believe you.”

She throws her hands in the air, exasperated. He has little to say right now, so an awkward silence hangs between them, thick and tangible. 

When Graham finally speaks, his voice is small. Timid. “I thought you’d be happy. We’re the same now.” 

“ _Happy?_  Why the fuck would I be happy about you running off and doing  _this_  to yourself. How did you even do it?” 

He stares at his feet, shuffles on the spot. “I asked around and found out how Hancock went ghoul. I managed to track down some of what he took -”

“Are you shitting me? Of all the stupid -  _You could have died Graham_. And then what? Or worse, what if you went feral? I can’t - I can’t even look at you right now.” She turns, but his hand catches her arm, stopping her. “Get off me.”

“Stay. Talk to me.”  
  
“ _No_. I don’t want to look at you right now. I need to leave.”

He doesn’t press her further. His grip on her arm releases and he watches as she walks away, never stopping to look back at him. 

He hopes he’ll see her again, so he can explain. 

She doesn’t look back.


End file.
